After a whirlwind of a recruiting stretch that featured talented pledges, tough misses and players flipping their commitments, Penn State currently has 24 players on board in its 2026 recruiting class.
Here are five players to keep an eye on down the road to contribute for the Nittany Lions.
Kevin Brown, offensive tackle
Offensive tackle Kevin Brown’s considered by most to be the jewel of the 2026 class, having been committed since July 27, 2024.
The Harrisburg High School product’s the highest-ranked player in the class via the 247Sports composite rankings, holding a 4-star status as the No. 45 player nationally, No. 4 offensive tackle and No. 1 player in Pennsylvania. There’s a strong possibility he can reach 5-star status.
Brown fractured his foot during his junior season, but put together a strong showing this summer on the camp circuit, including a performance at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge in Indianapolis where he won offensive line MVP.
He’s listed at 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, and comes from an NFL bloodline — his father, Tim, spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers following his collegiate career at West Virginia.
Messiah Mickens, running back
Penn State has another highly touted prospect out of Harrisburg High School in running back Messiah Mickens.
Mickens is the earliest commit in Penn State’s 2026 class, announcing his pledge Aug. 8, 2023.
There was speculation that Mickens would explore his options after former Penn State running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider departed for Notre Dame, but he went public and pledged his loyalty to Penn State after an unofficial visit during the spring and didn’t take any other official visits.
Mickens ranks as a 4-star and the No. 161 player nationally, No. 13 tailback and No. 4 player in state. During his junior year he ran for 1,214 yards and 21 touchdowns, and was the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year as well as MaxPreps junior first-team All-American at linebacker.
Quarterback Drew Allar (15) motivates his teammates with a mini speech before they jog onto the field before the game against Ohio State on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 in University Park, Pa. The Buckeyes defeat the Nittany Lions 20-13.
Kevin Cheng
Pierce Petersohn, athlete
Penn State dipped into a state it very rarely recruits from to land 4-star athlete Pierce Petersohn, but the Nittany Lions ultimately prevailed over in-state, Big Ten foe Minnesota.
He’s ranked as a 4-star prospect, who’s the No. 342 player nationally, No. 21 athlete and No. 3 player in Minnesota. Though he’s listed as an athlete, he projects to play tight end for Penn State.
Petersohn’s an uber-athletic player, throwing for 17 touchdowns while rushing for nine scores during his junior year. He also averaged 29 points per game in basketball and ran a time of 11.24 seconds in the 100-meter dash for the Triton High School track team.
Penn State recently saw a product of this caliber of athlete in high school with Tyler Warren, who saw success both at basketball and in baseball, giving Petersohn a blueprint to follow.
Troy Huhn, quarterback
Penn State now has one quarterback on board in its 2026 class after 4-star Peyton Falzone flipped to Auburn, but the other one waiting in the wings is 4-star Troy Huhn.
The recruiting staff went into the West Coast to land Huhn. He’s ranked as the No. 270 player nationally, No. 28 in California and No. 20 overall gunslinger.
Quarterback Troy Huhn throws the ball at the Elite 11 football camp at the State College Area High School South Track Facility on Sunday, May 18, 2025 in State College, Pa.
Matt Cropp
He’s a poised pocket passer and has shown glimpses of what he can do with his legs, similar to the profile of Drew Allar when he was a high school recruit.
Huhn was selected as an Elite 11 finalist this summer where he’ll compete against the top quarterbacks in the nation in Los Angeles after a strong showing at the State College regional.
Tyson Harley, defensive end
Penn State pulled 4-star defensive end Tyson Harley from a familiar program, as he plays for Gonzaga College High School where former Nittany Lion and current New York Jets offensive tackle Olu Fashanu played.
He ranks as the No. 306 player nationally, No. 32 EDGE and No. 2 in Washington, D.C.
Harley tallied 30 total tackles, six sacks and forced a fumble during his junior season.
His Gonzaga position partner is 4-star Michigan commit Carter Meadows, who was also a priority target for Penn State as the No. 9 defensive end in the class.
Despite being labeled by most national media as a better prospect due to his intangibles, Meadows put up similar numbers to Harley during their junior years, garnering 33 total tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.
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